UCL joins call to action for greater numbers of women in technology and engineering

7 May 2014

Today UCL is joining with government and
other educational and industry partners to commit to the Women into
Technology and Engineering Call to Action. This action includes engaging with young
people, and increasing the participation of women in these fields within the
University.

170 organisations, including universities, museums, FE colleges,
schools and grass roots science and technology promotion organisations have
committed to these national aspirations. The pledge aims to support a change
in how women and girls are encouraged to consider technology and engineering
careers and the subject choices or vocational pathways that lead to them.

Dr Elpida Makrygianni (Engineering Education Developer & Coordinator) and Professor Polina Bayvel (UCL Electronic & Electrical
Engineering Professor of Optical
Communications and Networks) attended the launch today,
which cemented national aspirations to double the number of women studying
engineering and technology degrees at undergraduate level by 2030; boost the
number of women pursuing careers in engineering and technology; and increase
the number of young people studying maths and physics at 18.

Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock said:“There has never been a greater focus from government on
inspiring people, especially women and girls, to take up science,
technology, engineering and maths. STEM disciplines are the heartbeat of
the modern world. From agriculture to aviation, the analytical and
problem-solving skills they develop are more valuable than ever in a
fast-changing, global economy. I’m delighted that 170 leading
organisations are joining us in our commitment to inspiring more women
and girls to take up study and training in these areas.”

Professor
Michael Arthur (UCL President & Provost) said: “UCL is
proud to support this endeavour, which continues our spirit and values of
inclusion for all based on merit alone. We were the first university in England
to admit women on equal terms with men, and strive to do all we can to close
the gaps that still exist."

Professor Anthony Finkelstein (Dean of UCL
Engineering) said: “To change the world we need to change ourselves, and that
means we cannot accept the underrepresentation of women in the engineering
community. This is a priority to which we must address resources, commitment
and energy. At 26%, UCL already has the greatest number of female engineering
academics and researchers in the UK, but the nature of that statistic shows we have
a lot left to do.”

To change the world we need to change ourselves, and that means we cannot accept the underrepresentation of women in the engineering community.

Professor Anthony Finkelstein

The UCL pledge commits us to recruiting and retaining more female staff
and students, sharing examples of best practice on gender and equality through
UCL's Equality action planning programme, and ensuring that the talent of UCL
female staff are reflected in the composition of its Professoriate.

This builds on existing measures in place at UCL Engineering to increase take up
and diversity in engineering, including:

The availability of bursaries covering full fees and offering
£10k living costs are available to under-represented Masters students,
including women and carers

A specialist ‘women in engineering’ annual taster
day for young women to investigate different kinds of engineering

A ‘UCL Women in Engineering’ website profiling staff,
student and alumni as role models

A UCL Women in Engineering Student
Society that provides mentoring, training and events for students by students